Merchant vessels were struck by drones off Romania’s Black Sea coast in two incidents in the country’s territorial waters near the Sulina Canal, a key route linking the Danube to the sea and used for Ukrainian exports.
Romanian Prime Minister Luca Niculescu said three commercial ships were hit late on Nov. 14, according to a Vesti Baku report. Romania’s Defense Ministry provided details about strikes on the Greek petrochemical tanker Evia Petrol V and the St. Kitts and Nevis-flagged bulk carrier Marsol.
The first vessel was about four nautical miles southeast of Sulina, while the second was about five miles away. Fires broke out on both ships but were extinguished by their crews. Romanian authorities said no injuries were reported.
Romania Scrambles Fighter Jets
Military radar detected an airborne target east of Snake Island. Romania scrambled F-16 fighter jets twice to monitor the situation and warned residents of Tulcea County about an aerial threat.
Another merchant vessel was damaged off Romania’s coast on the evening of Nov. 13. No casualties were reported in that incident either.
Bucharest had not identified who launched the drones. Romanian authorities have linked the growing threat to shipping to Russia’s continuing war against Ukraine, but reports on the attacks did not provide direct evidence establishing the drones’ origin. Moscow says it does not strike countries neighboring Ukraine.
Risk to Danube Shipping Route
The Sulina Canal links the Danube River to the Black Sea and is important for Ukrainian cargo exports. A series of attacks on commercial vessels off Romania and Bulgaria has increased risks to shipping close to NATO borders.
Romanian Defense Minister Ștefan-Radu Oprea said he would seek stronger allied patrols and additional counter-drone equipment during a meeting with counterparts in Brussels. France temporarily deployed an Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft to Romania.